My Network Connection Icon Disappeared from the System Tray

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If the network connection icon is no longer in your system tray, there is an easy way to bring it back.

To open the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog window, click the Start button, then Run. Now type into the Run box, or the Start Search box:

control.exe /name Microsoft.TaskbarAndStartMenu

… and hit enter.

network icon missing 3 My Network Connection Icon Disappeared from the System Tray

To open the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog window you can also right click on the taskbar, and left click on Properties.

network icon missing 1 My Network Connection Icon Disappeared from the System Tray

Once the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog window is open click on the Notification Area tab. Check the Network box, and click OK.

network icon missing 2 My Network Connection Icon Disappeared from the System Tray

Your Network icon should now be back in the System Tray. If the problem is fixed stop reading.

If you’re now pulling your hair out saying "The Network checkbox is grayed out!" There is a fix for that too.

Click the Start button, then type regedit into either the Start Search box, or the Run box, and hit enter. Now navigate down the Registry tree until you find the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\TrayNotify

Before making any changes you can either backup the entire Registry, or just the key you are about to make changes to. If you choose to only back up the TrayNotify registry key then right click on TrayNotify and left click Export. Give the file a name, and click save.

network icon missing 5 My Network Connection Icon Disappeared from the System Tray

Now select IconStreams, right click and choose delete. Repeat this process by selecting PastIconsStream, right click and delete.

network icon missing 6 My Network Connection Icon Disappeared from the System Tray

Exit the Registry editor. To make the changes you made take effect you can restart explorer, log off and log back on, or reboot the computer.

When you open the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog window the Network check box should no longer be grayed out. Now check the Network box, click OK, and you’re Network Connection Icon should reappear in the System Tray.


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Posted on February 1, 2008 at 9:27 pm(PST)
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26 Responses to “My Network Connection Icon Disappeared from the System Tray”

  1. Marty says:

    Quickest way to get it back is to go in to Network Connections and disable “Local Area Connection” then re-enable it.

    All you do is right click and select disable – Enable

  2. sheenamd says:

    Thanks, Nerd Grind! Worked like a charm!

  3. Astrid says:

    The network icon randomly disappeared from my labtop, and even though its just an icon it really bugged me that it wasn’t there. I went on google and the first website that i went to was this one. I follow every single step by step (with patiente) it most of taken 5-10 mins overall. I then restarted my computer and the icon was back like nothing happened, And here i am leaving my possitive fee back, Thank you so much :)

  4. thefinn says:

    I don’t have TrayNotify in the registry there at all.

  5. ellebeam says:

    i’ve been looking for my network connection symbol for days!!! thanks so much, the idiot-proof instructions definitely helped. :)

  6. mika says:

    Thank you so much! First place google search brought me, and it worked. So easy!

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